Title: Holland
MPA Rating: R
Director: Mimi Cave
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Matthew Macfadyen, Gael Garcia Bernal
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins

What It Is: In the idyllic town of Holland, Michigan, everything appears perfect. But, as with most things that seem too good to be true, cracks begin to surface—and Nancy Vendergroot (Kidman) starts to suspect that something is off about her husband Fred (Macfadyen), a mild-mannered local dentist. With the help of her fellow teacher Dave (Bernal), the two will uncover the true horrors lurking beneath their quiet small town—as well as the monsters hiding within it.

What We Think: It’s sufficient. Mimi Cave’s first feature, Fresh, was so refreshing—so new. This just feels like a Stephen King novel turned into a mediocre film. Writer Andrew Sodroski normally puts together intriguing scripts that twist and turn, heading to places that make sense and completely work. That’s not exactly what we get here.

Bernal and Kidman give solid performances, even if their chemistry isn’t quite there. But it’s Matthew Macfadyen who is living here—he’s devious, quirky, and really milks every ounce of the character on the page. That’s where the film thrives: the dialogue is genuinely fun.

Our Grade: C-, I didn’t like this all that much—and maybe that’s my own fault. I set the bar too high. Then again, Mimi Cave set her own bar too high. She simply didn’t meet the standard she had previously established.

Nonetheless, whatever she does next, I hope it’s a return to form—something this film is not. All the elements were there, except for the story and a clear sense of authority from Cave as a director. I’ll wait to see what she does next, but I really can’t recommend this one. It’s just not interesting enough to be worth most audiences’ time—especially not for something that runs nearly two hours.